Best of LeBron Part 1: LeBron FIRES back at Stephen A. + Bronny James first NBA Bucket!

26:14I'm taking an early good look, opposed to me swinging around the horn and we turn this joint over. And now I've got to turn it to track star going on the other end. I'm going to put this up. I feel like I got a better percentage of making this opposed to us turning the ball over and then we got to get a stop on the other side.

26:30Shannon Sharpe:What about a situation like this, Wish, where guys are trying early on trying to say I'm so unselfish and you overpass the ball and you end up turning it over like you said? You're like, okay, I got a good look in transition. I'm going to let it rip as opposed to, oh, hot potato, hot potato. Next thing you know, the ball's going out of bounds. You're like, come on, man. Go ahead and take that shot. Yeah, you know, it's tough when you come into situations. Like, when I first got to Cleveland, we used to run into that a lot because we got Kyrie at the point, me at the two. We got Bron, K-Love, and obviously Tristan setting the screens of Rose and Mozzie.

27:04But you look around the horn, it's like, we got, like, listen, I got a good shot, but he got a great shot. So let me kick it to him. And, you know, guys are just operating so fast, you want to be unselfish, but at the same time, it's like, if I don't take this shot, then he's not going to be open where we need it to be open. So for me, a lot of those times it's like, I want to be unselfish, but at the same time, I got to be selfish for the team because it's going to help us out in the long run.

27:30Shannon Sharpe:So as you watch Bronny grow up, spend a lot of years with LeBron in Cleveland and see Bronny go from a seven, eight, nine-year-old to not hear he is in the NBA. What do you think this moment means for LeBron? oh man I mean I can I can only imagine like to be able to I just had my first son he's seven weeks so for me congrats thinking about congrats man appreciate you appreciate y 'all man well you know we saw that right I mean I'm sure you did I'm sure we gonna leave that switch we gonna leave that alone but I'm just saying I just want you to know we saw that hey man hey you know what I heard you I ain't seen you but I heard you okay there you go good switch It's too soon.

28:17Shannon Sharpe:You know what? As a matter of fact, we're about on the same timeline. It's about seven weeks. So you know what? That's why I left the headlines so quick, because you pushed me out. You're like, get your ass out of these headlines. Hey, I got the 72-hour rule, dog. It's over. Straight up.

28:39Shannon Sharpe:Yeah, but you were saying this moment for LeBron, and even the city of Cleveland, to see LeBron come back. and brain junior women. Yeah, man. I mean, honestly, Bronny is such a... You know, you hear about so many different kids and so many different situations who are like, you know, their parents are stars and they're arrogant and they're cocky and they feel like they just... You know, the world is supposed to be their oyster. And Bronny is the complete opposite, man. It's like, it's a very humbling feeling to see him in a situation he's in and he's very... He's very... He's very grateful for the opportunity, you know, to live out your dreams as a kid.

29:20That's one of the very, very rare, you know, few things that fortunately us three have been able to do. But like to actually live it out and have your pops there with you to show you to really show you the ropes. It's very inspiring, man. Like I really look at it and think of like this is something I would definitely want to give my kid one day. if I can give him the keys to – if you can give the keys to the Chevy to your son, like what's different than giving him the keys to the business or giving him the keys to the game, like just – and just letting him take it for, you know, what they want it to be.

29:54Regardless of the shoes that we feel, because obviously Bron is Bron and goes down the GOAT and everything else, and comparison is going to be there or whatever. But to actually be able to live out your dream is something that very few people get to do. So I just hope he's in a place to where he can actually absorb it and be happy and be satisfied with it. And, Jay, I don't think people understand how dope this situation is, this scenario as a father, as a father myself. And I'm just imagining being able to play long enough in the NFL, which is hypothetically it's damn near impossible, and to be able to play long enough for your son to join you, just that feeling and knowing all the work, you know, Bronny and Bron have put in over the years and how it's paid off, not only is paid off but he's now he has the opportunity to share the court and the sport in which they love and have grown up playing all their life and then to share it on the same team at that that is it's dope in itself and I really can't really put it into words how awesome it is a lot of people have been critical of it um obviously saying you know the whole favoritism and he only got he only he's only there because of his father well hell goddamn yeah well shit You're supposed to take advantage of those opportunities when you have the cachet and you have the power that LeBron does to be able to bring your son on with you and allow him to live out a dream to play at the highest level.

31:21To me, it's unreal. It's unreal and it's dope. It's motivating. It's inspiring. And I just wish I could have done something like that. Obviously, I can't. So I'm going to live vicariously to them. And that's pretty much it, man. That's really, really dope, man.

31:41Shannon Sharpe:You ain't seen that in football. You ain't going to see that in football, JR, unless somebody have a kid while they're in high school. No, for real. And they can play a position. I mean, I got a couple homies like that. I mean, you guys could think about it. Tom Brady played 23 seasons. His son is probably a sophomore, junior in high school. Yeah. So he would have had to have that kid at 15, 16. so therefore by the time he's 32 Tom got another 11 years so now all of a sudden that's a realistic possibility now you know there might be somebody in the plot like hmm I'm going to drop this one right here you know because that's what it's going to take Coach Ocho you can't I mean LeBron had a kid at 20 had a kid at 20 even if you have a kid at 20 in the NFL bro what's the likelihood of you playing another 20 seasons?

32:36Not good, unless you're a quarterback and you're really, really, really, really, really damn good. And not your son, because the difference is

32:46Shannon Sharpe:NFL players don't have the kind of leverage that an NBA player has. Especially a superstar like LeBron, because the positions are so valuable. So it's going to, like I said, I think Gordie Howe, I think he might have played with his sons back in the, you know. but the likelihood of you seeing that in the NFL Hot A70 said Gil did LeBron's wife really break down film with him? When you're moving like I do trips don't always come together weeks in advance sometimes production shoots, interviews or something I've got to travel for on a short notice like the time when I had the last minute trip to Denver and everything came together fast once it was locked in I had to be ready to go that's where Amazon Prime can make a difference when something comes together quickly you can get what you need like grooming essentials, neck pillows, eye masks, even snacks for the flights, so you're ready to show up for it.

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34:22here's to the calloused hands of freedom. Copenhagen, saluting American grit, proven since 1822. Warning, this product is not a safe alternative to cigarettes. Hey, sports fans, your away game road trip doesn't start at the kickoff. It starts on the road. Before heading to the game in Eugene, take a moment to enjoy the journey and explore Tualatin Valley, located just west of Portland and north of Eugene. sip world-class Pinot Noir, soak in picturesque views, and craft a game day trip you'll talk about all season. Take the scenic route to Tualatin Valley and make every mile part of the game. Learn more at etvor.com slash fans.

35:08ChatGPT can do more than answer questions. It can help you get real work done. ChatGPT work is built for bigger projects with multiple steps. You bring the goal along with the information it needs, like briefs, notes, files, feedback, calendars, data sets, or project plans. Then, ChatGPT can help turn all of that into something useful. An analysis, a tracker, a deck outline, a prototype, or a workflow you can keep shaping. It can also use approved apps, connected tools, files, and browser contexts to help move the work forward. And you stay in control. You give direction, review drafts, approve actions, redirect the work, and choose the final output.

35:50So you spend less time sorting through busy work and more time making progress on the work that matters. Put ChatGPT to work on your most ambitious ideas and projects. Get started at ChatGPT.com by selecting work mode. Available on Plus and Pro Plans. Yeah. No, that's a true, listen, that's a true story, man. When I went over to LeBron's house, I don't know if you heard, I think Richie Paul was on JJ's podcast when he was talking about this big gambling game we did. Yeah. Like when we were doing the playoffs, LeBron wasn't gambling. He was with him and Savannah was watching film, breaking down tape on us.

36:37and you know i'm like looking like oh yeah well that shit ain't gonna work because i don't like that play right but the fact that that's what they were doing at a young age because i went to coach like man hey that's like a machine we're about to play against we were better than them he was smarter than us wow like he was better prepared at an early age no one i didn't he outsmarted us in that series he was just smarter than all of us we took we took his his gift for granted we knew the athleticism we didn't know he was tactical are you gill you know look chosen one

37:14Shannon Sharpe:on the cover of sports illustrated we know the three straight the championships in high school is he more or exactly what you thought he would be way more right i mean i didn't i didn't i didn't think that i remember my dad said hey uh you better get you better get ready to somewhere there's a kid came uh coming in by the name lebron james he's like a hurricane ain't nobody cared about no high school kid coming in and then the first time i seen him i was like all right okay the athlete the athleticism was different and then just you know being on the east coast playing against him i can just see it clicking faster and faster so he had to guard me his first years where i was giving that business but you can see it like oh man by the time he's 20 oh we're gonna be in trouble and this part i didn't i didn't calculate but watching him break down film and then watching him i was like oh okay he's gonna be something to reckon with but i just you didn't see you didn't see that he was going to take care of himself and be exactly what he is today.

38:26He did. If someone said they lying, they're lying to you.

38:33Shannon Sharpe:For him to be able to do what he does, because he missed a lot of the Bronies and Bryce and Zuri, he missed a lot of that. Because he needs to get his rest. He needs to train. He needs to have the physio and to make sure everything, and he's at the the gym getting up those shots. How important is it to have someone in your life that understands you like Savannah understands Bron and not say, I need some help with these kids. I've been there all day with these kids. Now it's your turn now. Oh, no, no, no. That's exactly what the other 99.9 % of us get. I've been there all day with the kids here, right?

39:20So the fact that they've been there from the beginning, the whole team, Maverick, it's the same group from day one. They all knew the objective. And that objective, be better. If it was be better than Michael Jordan, they all did their part. Right? So when we look and say, what has he sacrificed? And we look at Bronny and the family, he sacrificed being with his kids right now. I mean, it's 20 years, 21, 21, 21 years. So that means he didn't get to really be hands on with Bronny. I was Bronny's first trainer. Hey, what'd you think? What'd you look like? Hey, I'm, you know, I'm nervous for him, you know, you know what I mean?

40:07Cause he's not there to really instill what he can into him, right? It's been from a distance. That's, that's what he sacrificed. right so the fact that you know savannah has really gotten these boys to where they are just shows you what type of stability he's had this whole time especially because she's made

40:29Shannon Sharpe:it abundantly clear she said like some people want to start a business and some people want to do this she said all i wanted to be was a wife and raise a family so that means she gave up anything that she could possibly want to be outside of being a wife and raising a family to sacrifice because she knew what he wanted i mean think about somebody giving up them you know that's like a mother and a father sacrificing for their child but she sacrifices sacrificed maybe what she wanted or what she could have achieved so you know what baby i got them hey I got this I'm in the carpool lane I'm going to pick him up I'm going to be there when they look up in the stands they're going to see one of us it's probably going to be me because I want you to be the best that you absolutely can possibly be now it gets to a point Savannah what do I absolutely have to be there for Bronny's first game considering what he went through this summer the cardiac arrest we don't know if he if and when he'll ever play again, oh, I can't miss that under no circumstances.

41:42Shannon Sharpe:All-star game, game one, I cannot miss that because I don't know. You don't get an opportunity to do the first again, to see your oldest play his first collegiate game. So now you understand because remember, Ocho, you know this. there's a great sacrifice to be the greater the the greater the person the greater the sacrifices that they've made and there is no balance for greatness anybody tell you there is they're lying go ask Vanessa go go ask Juanita Jordan Jordan's first wife go ask the greats I'm talking about the I'm I ain't talking about you know look there's there there's a lot of good players that's a great but I'm talking about this this this this pyramid ask him ask him it it's the one thing that i think as men especially athletes when we look at you know lebron james and the kobe's chris paul that that woman that's that understands them to a t right that that is the other half of them it's an envy like you started looking around at the girls you chose and like man what was i looking at like you know what i mean like it's like what was i looking at what what was i chasing because what i was chasing wasn't it this is what i wanted like my career would have been better if i had that yeah right like you know what i mean like if i had some guidance some understanding right Alfred, not a Robin.

43:29I don't need someone else trying to be a hero with me. Alfred, hey, everything is prepared for you to go be great. If you come back hurt, I'll refix you. Go on out there and save it again. That's what we're looking for. And I think that's what we, when we sit here chasing, we're chasing, looking for that. And we don't know what it looks like, but when we do get it, we're like, oh, hey, what's happening? How you doing? How you doing? I love you.

43:58Shannon Sharpe:Cookie and magic. Now, I don't know. Hey, how many women you think would have rolled out given the same circumstances, Ocho? Shit. Shit. Shit. They say it'd take a special one. Yeah. Go on back out there with them old things that you were laying down. Yeah. Take a special one. and take a special one. Look at Peyton Manning. Look at Peyton Manning. Now, you know, Ocho, you know firsthand how much Peyton, time he put in film study. Yeah. Brady, until she's like, you know what, Tom? Damn it. Man, you've been promising me for the last seven, eight years that you was going to hang it up. Yeah, man.

44:44Shannon Sharpe:You ain't going to stop. And I just can't do it anymore. She went as long as she could. Now, obviously, there are things, you know, hey. but again she had her own career you got to realize she got more money than he does now maybe she's like well a lot of some of the things i did stop i did sacrifice for you for you know to start a family to raise the family but payton payton's uh uh boom she's like nah Hey, hey, have a laugh. Man, Brady, God, that man, C &C, man, Brady's selfish, man. That's that white privilege right there. Hell yeah, you gotta be selfish, you'll be great. All the broke girls I done dated, you telling me someone makes more than me and I'm not gonna stop, I'm done.

45:34Take my kicks, have them. What are you talking about?

45:38Shannon Sharpe:Oh, Cho, you, uh, excuse me. Gil, you suffered the same thing that I suffered because I didn't want the girl that wanted me i wanted the girl and so when you choose somebody choose the girl that wants you not the girl you want because the girl that you want ain't gonna be the ain't gonna be the one yeah no that's bad you have to you you have to live you have to live you have to live and learn and when you when you look man you you you don't know any better you you you not even you don't even think it at that point in time you're like man i should have married this what i should have I had just my college and then that didn't work out or somebody, cause we all say this, I'm going to get somebody that note that knew me when I didn't have anything.

46:19Shannon Sharpe:I had this old raggedy car. I didn't have no indoor plumbing and they know what it is. They know what it's like to sacrifice and be there for me. Then if that doesn't work out, Gil, then where do we go? Because the one that we thought, you know it's like oh it's like well you know if the home if the the high school or the college sweetheart doesn't work right well damn even if you even if you're the seventh round if you're on an nfl team you in the nfl it ain't like you don't say hey you're in the nfl it's not like you work around the building. You're actually in the league. So whether you're a seventh-round pick or a first-round pick, hey, are you that sharp to play for the Broncos?

47:15Shannon Sharpe:Now, it's a whole different story. Too late now, Ocho. Yeah.

47:24Shannon Sharpe:Oh, you know what, Ocho? I wanted to get this. and I know you've probably heard of it by now. I wanted to respond to some of the criticism, and I normally don't respond to the criticism because I don't care in any way. And there have been a lot of guys, there have been a lot of people taking shots at me personally, but we know why. They see Unc and Ocho. They see the success that we're having. They see Club Shea Shea, the success that I'm having doing that. They see the success that I'm having on ESPN. So sometimes the only success someone can have is that they take a bite out of you. That's their success is about biting you.

47:58Shannon Sharpe:And I'm cool with that. But I was asked, and I think the question was, is that LeBron said he would be still the same player. Absolutely. Had he never played in Miami. Absolutely. And two things can be true. I believe LeBron James would have still been the all-time leading scorer. I still believe LeBron James would have scored 30 ,000 points, had 10 ,000 rebounds, 10 ,000 assists. I still believe he would have been a first-team all-NBA player. I still believe he would have been a multi-time all-star player. But the pushback that I'm going to give, I do not believe he's LeBron James that we know without that stand in Miami.

48:42Because without that, because prior to him going there,

48:47Shannon Sharpe:he had zero championships but two MVPs. He goes to Miami. he gets two titles and two more mvps so now he's four and two there's only a handful of people now you got to go there's only three people before lebron did it wilt got four jordan has five russell has five and i think kareem has six so there's four people so now lebron is an exclusive company so now people got like hold on wait a minute and he had him at the age of 28 so now he goes back to cleveland he gets another title four and three he goes to la he gets another title now he's four and four so now he's an elite company he's one of one of two men to win multiple mvps two locations kareem three and three three in milwaukee three in la he's one of two men to win multiple mvps uh finals mvps at different locations kawaii san antonio toronto uh kareem milwaukee la lebron james so could you still be the same player yes but not the player we know because without that because whether you see here's the thing ocho you can't say and everybody keeps saying he could go anywhere and win those titles yeah yeah kevin durant he kept kevin durant went to golden state stayed three years won two titles finals mvp both years got hurt the third year even though advanced they lost he went to brooklyn for four years how many more times how many more championships he won whoa can i can i ask you a question let me stop you right there we talk about a braun james okay we talk about the greatest play we talk about the greatest play on the planet that will change the dynamic of any team he's on so In his 20s, in his early, in his late, late, late 20s, he could have been anywhere.

50:47He could have been to any team. Why did he go to Miami then?

50:50Shannon Sharpe:Why did he go to Miami then? D-Wade told him to come on home. No, no, no, no, no. But you said he could have gone anywhere. I mean, he could have gone anywhere. He felt that was the best chance for him to win. Am I correct? Obviously, he wanted to pair himself with Bosh and Wade. I mean. Because, see, Ocho, see, this is what, see, You can't say, remember he won with Cleveland, right? Yes. Who did he have on the team with him? But here's the thing. What knowledge did he take back that he had acquired from Miami back to Cleveland? How to win. How? So where did he learn that? In Miami. Okay, then.

51:31Shannon Sharpe:So without that state in Miami, is he the same? Do we view him the same? Without those two other MVPs? because here's the thing, Ocho. This is what we got to look. If he doesn't get those two MVPs, regular season, and those two final MVPs, how do you put him in front of Kareem? Kareem has six regular season MVPs, two finals MVPs, five titles. How do you put him in front of Jordan, who's six and six? How do you put him in front of Tim Duncan, who has five titles, three finals MVPs, two regular season MVPs? How do you put him in front of Magic? Magic has three regular season MVPs, five finals, three finals MVPs.

52:12Shannon Sharpe:How do you put him in there if he doesn't have that Miami stint on his resume? You're underestimating how great LeBron is. I think if he didn't go to Miami, if he chose to go somewhere else, regardless of where it would have been, I think the outcome would have been the same. No, that's not what he said. Even he said it. If you read LeBron James' tweet, this is what LeBron said. You damn right I would still be. I'm chosen. Ain't nothing changing. maybe less rings, but dominant from start to finish. Even he said it. He said maybe less rings, but common sense of the eye test will tell you, wherever LeBron goes, that team come hell high water is probably going to be in the finals or in contention to be in it.

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